You want to evolve Ursaring into Ursaluna in Pokémon GO? We will show you here what prerequisites you need to meet and when the next possible date is.
What kind of evolution is this? Teddiursa can evolve into Ursaring by adding 50 candies. Since the Community Day in November 2022, it has been possible to evolve Ursaring into Ursaluna. However, certain conditions must be met.
We show you here in the quick guide what you need to pay attention to if you want to get Ursaluna in Pokémon GO.
Evolving Ursaring into Ursaluna – Here’s how
How does it work? You can only evolve Ursaring into Ursaluna during a full moon. There are exceptions when Niantic activates the evolution during certain events.
To evolve Teddiursa into Ursaring, you need 50 Teddiursa candies
To evolve Ursaring into Ursaluna, you need 100 Teddiursa candies, and the full moon must be active
When is the next full moon date? You should mark the dates in the calendar when there is a full moon. In 2024, these are the following dates (via Augsburger-Allgemeine):
What you need to consider: You do not have to evolve your Ursaring at the exact time. Also, there were some minor issues during the last dates. It is advisable to check if your evolution works 2 days before and 2 days after the full moon dates.
In May, you can check for safety on May 21 and May 22 to see if the evolution works. Then on May 23 for the full moon date and for safety also on May 24 and 25.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Deadlock, it is important to know which heroes are worth playing the most. Therefore, we show you our tier list of the best heroes that you should pick.
Update, October 14, 2024: We have updated our list according to the latest patch. The list is now current and the heroes have taken new positions.
How is the tier list structured? Here we list the 22 known heroes from Deadlock that you can currently play in the alpha. Each hero is categorized into one of the four tier categories, starting with the best of the best heroes and ending with the weakest heroes.
We based our decision on gathering opinions in the communities, evaluating rankings, examining the pick rate of individual heroes, and analyzing the data. Our result presents you with the best to the worst heroes that you can choose from in the current alpha. With our directory, you can quickly jump to the individual tiers:
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Start video
This is Deadlock – The new MOBA shooter from Valve
Note that this list is only a reference that you can use for comparison if you are looking for a strong hero. You can also dominate your opponents and emerge as a winner with weaker heroes from our tier list. Every player has their preferences. If you have suggestions for improvement, feel free to share your opinion in the comments. More about Deadlock can be found here: Deadlock by Valve: All known information about the release, invitations, and gameplay
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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In Deadlock you can currently play 22 different heroes. We will show you which ones they are and what they can do in our list.
Update, October 14, 2024: We have updated the character list and added the new hero “Mirage.”
How many characters does Deadlock have? In Deadlock, you can currently test up to 22 playable heroes in the Steam test version, all of which differ in their gameplay. The following are known:
Abrams
Bebop
Dynamo
Grey Talon
Haze
Infernus
Ivy
Kelvin
Lady Geist
Lash
McGinnis
Mirage (NEW)
Mo & Krill
Paradox
Pocket
Seven
Shiv
Vindicta
Viscous
Warden
Wraith
Yamato
With our directory, you can quickly jump to the individual heroes. Just open the “Contents” box:
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We will now list all heroes in a table, tell you whether they are beginner-friendly, and reveal all their talents. Since Deadlock is mostly in English, all talents in the game are listed in their English descriptions. We will therefore provide the talents in translated form in German.
Start video
This is Deadlock – The new MOBA shooter from Valve
All Heroes at a Glance
Abrams
Abrams
Is Abrams beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Abrams:
Siphon Life: Drains health from enemies in front of you as long as they are within range.
Shoulder Charge: Charge forward, collide with enemies, and knock them back. Speed increases after colliding with enemy heroes.
Infernal Resilience: Gradually regenerates some of the damage taken over time.
Seismic Impact: Jump high into the air and choose a spot on the ground to strike. Upon hitting the ground, all enemies in the vicinity are damaged and stunned.
Bebop
Bebop
Is Bebop beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Bebop:
Exploding Uppercut: Deals light melee damage to nearby units and knocks them back, causing area damage where they land. Does not damage allies.
Sticky Bomb: Attach a sticky bomb to a nearby target that deals explosive damage after a short delay. Gain +2.5% bomb damage for each enemy hero hit.
Hook: Throw a hook that grabs and ensnares the first enemy or allied hero it hits. Deals damage to enemies.
Hyper Beam: Charge your laser to unleash a powerful stream of energy that deals damage and slows enemies. During this time, your movement and turning speed are slowed. If activated while in the air, you hover while releasing the beam.
Dynamo
Dynamo
Is Dynamo beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Dynamo:
Kinetic Pulse: Release an energy pulse that launches enemies into the air.
Quantum Entanglement: Dynamo briefly disappears into the void and then reappears at a distance. When you reappear, your weapon is reloaded and has a fire rate bonus for the next magazine. Can be cast with [M3] to also summon nearby allies and give them a half bonus to fire rate.
Rejuvenating Aurora: While channeling, health for you and all nearby allies is gradually restored over time.
Singularity: Create a singularity in your hands that attracts nearby enemies and deals damage to them. Once finished, the enemies are launched into the air.
Grey Talon
Grey Talon
Is Grey Talon beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Grey Talon:
Charged Shot: Charge a powerful shot that pierces enemies. Hold [1] or [LMC] to hold the shot.
Rain of Arrows: Launch yourself high into the air and glide slowly down. While in the air, gain weapon damage and multi-shot on your weapon. Press [SPACE] to cancel the glide.
Immobilizing Trap: Throw a trap that activates itself. Once the trap is armed, it will activate when an enemy enters its radius, immobilizing them.
Guided Owl: After a 1.5s casting time, a ghost owl is summoned that you control and explodes upon impact. Hold [LMC] to speed up the owl. Press [SPACE] to release control.
Haze
Haze
Is Haze beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Haze:
Sleep Dagger: Throw a dagger that deals damage to the target and puts it to sleep. Sleeping targets wake up shortly after taking damage. Throwing a dagger does not interrupt invisibility.
Smoke Bomb: Disappear from sight, become invisible, and gain sprint speed. Attacks break invisibility. Nearby enemies may see through your invisibility.
Fixation: When you shoot at a target, the damage of your bullets against that target increases. You gain one stack per hit, two if the hit is a headshot.
Bullet Dance: Activate a firestorm and shoot with your weapon with perfect accuracy at nearby enemies. During the firestorm, Haze gains a fire rate bonus and will evade some of the bullets fired at her.
Infernus
Infernus
Is Infernus beginner-friendly? Yes.
All talents of Infernus:
Catalyst: Spits napalm that slows down enemy movement and amplifies the damage Infernus deals.
Flame Dash: Move forward rapidly and leave a trail of flames that burns enemies. Hold [LMC] to dash faster.
Afterburn: Your bullets build up a burning effect on enemies. Infernus’s bullets and abilities extend the duration.
Concussive Combustion: Transform into a living bomb that explodes after a short delay, stunning all enemies in your radius.
Ivy
Ivy
Is Ivy beginner-friendly? No.
All talents of Ivy:
Kudzy Bomb: Summons a patch of suffocating vines that damages and slows enemies in its radius.
Watcher’s Covenant: Gain bonuses and automatically connect with a nearby ally to share. Healing is transferred to all allies. The connection requires a line of sight.
True Form: Transform into impenetrable stone and hit the ground to stun and damage nearby enemies. Heals you for a percentage of your maximum health. You have some air control before falling.
Air Drop: Fly with an ally or a bomb. The ally receives bullet immunity but cannot attack or use abilities while airborne. Drop your ally or bomb to create a large explosion that slows movement. Ivy and your ally receive bullet protection when the flight ends. Fast casting time when targeting an ally, long casting time on yourself. [Left Click] to speed up flight speed. [Right Click] to drop allies/bombs.
These were the first 7 heroes from Deadlock. The next 7 can be found on page 2.
The DLC for Elden Ring offers a winding and complicated new map. To help you find where all the items, dungeons, and bosses are located in Shadow of the Erdtree, we will show you all their locations on our interactive map.
Update, October 14: The article has been reviewed and is up to date.
How does the interactive map work? Our map gives you a detailed overview of the size of the DLC map as well as locations for grace, weapons, Miquella’s crosses, and Scadubark fragments.
Depending on what you want to see, you can toggle individual item and location filters on and off to display what you need.
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Note: The map was created in collaboration with our colleagues from Gamepressure. Please note that the map is still in development and will be continually expanded.
Interactive Map for Shadow of the Erdtree: What it offers
As mentioned before, our map offers numerous filters to display various items and aspects of the DLC. We provide information on the following things, for example:
Sites of Grace
In Elden Ring, the Sites of Grace are the beacons. They allow you to rest and manage your inventory. You can find all locations on the map.
Miquella’s Crosses
The crosses of Miquella show where the god has moved. Those who want to find out more about the lore should seek them out.
Scadubark Fragments
The Scadubark fragments are important to strengthen your hero. If you collect enough, you can increase your blessing to take and deal more damage.
Venerated Spirit Ashes
To strengthen your spirit ashes, Venerated Spirit Ashes are important. You can find them all over the map, but you need the right locations for that.
Weapons
There are supposed to be 95 new weapons, and some of them can even be found in the 8 new weapon types. We will show you where to find them.
Armors
There is no shortage of new armors in the DLC. If you want to dress up, you can find their locations here.
Bosses
There are important and optional bosses that you can challenge in the DLC. Want to know where to find them? Our map shows the exact location.
Map Fragments
In the DLC, there are 5 new map fragments to unlock the entire map. They are wildly scattered and hard to find.
Cookbooks
New cookbooks reveal recipes to craft new items such as bombs, consumables, and powerful tools.
Caves, Lifts, and Secret Places
The DLC offers not only huge dungeons but also smaller places and secrets waiting to be explored. Can’t find some places? We found them for you.
In addition to the interactive map, we also offer many tips, tricks, and guides for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. This includes locations for sound pearls, strong builds for mages, and also information on secrets. You can find our collection of helpful information in our overview: Elden Ring: All Guides, Beginner Tips, and Builds Overview
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In GTA Online, you should scout the casino for the Casino Heist. We show you the locations of all access points on the roof, terrace, sewer, side entrance, and security tunnel.
Update, December 12, 2025: The article has been reviewed and is up to date.
What kind of mission is this? To prepare for the big Casino Heist in GTA Online, you should scout interesting access points of the building. The more you find, the more options you will have later on where you want to enter and exit the casino for the heist.
It is advisable to uncover all the points that we show you here.
Start video
GTA Online – Trailer for the new update Agent of Sabotage
All Access Points and How to Find Them
How many points are there? There are several doors you should scout. We list the points you need to find:
Roof
Below the landing pad, just one stair lower, there is a door on each side that you need to photograph. Between the doors lies a wall and the helipad.
Terrace
Around the terrace, you will find 4 doors to photograph. Walk completely around the rooftop terrace to find all of them.
Main Entrance
This is the main entrance at the front of the casino
Also photograph the guy from the parking service right there
Side Entrances
At the back and on the side (not on the garage side), you will find a door with a keypad on each side
Also photograph the keypad and one of the outdoor cameras here
Security Tunnel
Follow the path that leads between the casino and the casino parking lot along the racetrack. Along the way, you will drive through a small tunnel – photograph the rolling gate inside.
Sewer
Behind the casino, the canal flows along. Right at its beginning, at the mouth to the pond, you will find an entrance to the sewer. Drive in there with the car. You should photograph the first gate on the right side when you go down.
In the gallery, we show you some of the locations you need to photograph. Keep in mind that there are multiple doors on the roof, rooftop terrace, and at the side entrances that you need to photograph.
Points of Interest – Casino Heist
In addition to the access points, you should also photograph points of interest. This is best combined when you scout the upper access points.
An indoor camera (found in the casino, the white round parts on the ceiling)
Vault blueprint (on the desk in the manager’s office – Requires VIP membership in the casino – You will find it if you follow the path behind “Inside Track” – Up the stairs, past the secretary)
Once you have completed all important points, the mission will be over for you. At the planning board, you will then see the “access points” and “points of interest” checked off and can use them during the heist.
With these access points, you are perfectly equipped for your next heist. For more tips and tricks on casino heists, check out our guide to maximize your money-making potential: GTA Online: Casino Heist Guide – How to get rich
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
What tasks await you in the endgame of Throne and Liberty, after reaching level 50? We have compiled a list of all important activities starting from level 50 for you.
What can I do in the endgame? You can complete many missions from level 50, which will be unlocked only then. From that point on, you can farm a lot of epic gear that will make you significantly stronger in the game. PvP also plays a key role in the endgame.
The first time in Throne and Liberty mostly consists of gaining experience points to quickly reach the endgame. In this article, we will take a look at all the activities you can engage in after reaching level 50.
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In Throne and Liberty, you can even ride a giant whale
Start video
Throne and Liberty: Claim the Throne – Launch Trailer of the MMORPG
Co-op Dungeons
In co-op dungeons, you will fight some monsters and a strong boss awaits you at the end. After defeating it, you will receive a chest. However, you can only open it with “Dimension Contract Tokens.” You receive 900 of these tokens per day and can save a maximum of 4,500 of them.
Anything beyond that is wasted. The co-op dungeons starting at level 50 offer better rewards than the dungeons before, so it is best to save your tokens until level 50. If you have none in stock, you can only open the chests from three co-op dungeons per day to receive their rewards.
Taedal’s Tower and the Portal of Infinity
All solo dungeons become available to you at “Taedal’s Tower” after reaching level 50, which will give you some rewards. In the tab next to it, you will now see the Portal of Infinity, which had not been unlocked before.
There, you will encounter bosses that you can fight. For that, you will of course receive rewards again. The “Portal of Infinity” is particularly interesting for competitive players, as you can compete in a leaderboard. Those who defeat the bosses the fastest will receive extra rewards.
Open World Dungeons
To rake in plenty of rewards in open-world dungeons, you need to spend your “Abyss Contract Tokens.” You receive these, for example, through your daily tasks, which you can buy from the “Contract Manager.” You can accumulate up to 20,000 “Abyss Contract Tokens.”
Starting from level 50, you have a higher chance of better rewards in the daily tasks. Also, the monsters in the dungeon that are of a higher level give you better loot. Therefore, it is really worthwhile to raid the open-world dungeons only in the endgame.
You automatically spend the tokens when you defeat monsters. In the endgame, you can farm for strong gear there as long as you have tokens left. Be aware that in these dungeons, PvP is enabled at night and you can be attacked by other players. You can tell that PvP is on in the dungeon by a sword symbol.
As mentioned earlier, the chance for better rewards in the daily tasks is only activated from level 50. You receive ten “Contract Rights” every day, which you can use to buy daily tasks. You can save up to 69 “Contract Rights.” Therefore, it is advantageous if you do not use these until level 50 but rather spend them all afterwards.
Moreover, you earn “Contract Coins” with the daily tasks, which you can spend at the “Contract Coin Merchant.” The “Noble Segmentation Bag” is particularly important. It can contain epic equipment. However, it can only be purchased once per day and should not be forgotten. The “Mystical Keys” for opening “Mystical Orbs” are also important.
Weekly Tasks
The weekly tasks are only unlocked after reaching level 50. You can find them in the menu under “Weekly Missions.” There are four categories that you can complete during the week.
World:
Open “Mystical Portals”
Complete daily tasks
Participate in events on the world map
Co-op Dungeons:
Complete a total of three co-op dungeons and open the chest with “Dimension Contract Tokens” to use them
Guild:
Gain guild reputation, for example by fulfilling “Guild Contracts” or through donations
Fulfill “Guild Contracts”
Make donations
PvP:
Three successful arena battles
When the week is over, you can choose one of the rewards. They can include not only epic equipment but also important materials in the selection.
However, there are more weekly tasks awaiting you. For this, you need to go to the “General Store.” There, you can buy six “Contract Sheets of the Allied Forces” for open-world dungeons and get three “Contract Sheets of the Allied Forces” for “Taedal’s Tower.” In both cases, you must fight monsters and will receive very good rewards for it.
In the endgame of Throne and Liberty, you can immerse yourself in the many events on the open world map. When you open the map, you will see all the events that take place every hour under “Schedule.” Peaceful events are recognized by the dove symbol. However, if there are two red swords at the event, then PvP is enabled there. Particularly the world bosses are worthwhile as they have a chance for good rewards.
Moreover, it is advisable to join a guild so that you can complete activities like guild dungeons. Access to them is only granted with a guild, and they are not easy to conquer. However, you will be rewarded with juicy loot, such as epic equipment.
PvP
From level 50, you can continuously improve your armor through various activities, which will allow you to make a good impression in PvP as well. Throne and Liberty has several challenges that test your skills as a duelist.
The battle for “Castle Rockwatch”
The Arena
Events on the open map
Open-world dungeons at night
Collecting and Completing
Once you’ve reached the endgame, you can also focus on completing your collections, which will grant you various bonuses or rewards in the game.
The lithography book
The collection of books and papers in the codex
Amitoi
Transformations
Make sure to buy all items from the NPC shops that have a daily or weekly limit, otherwise you will miss these items. Even though much is limited by points, you can spend several hours in the game daily to steadily improve.
The Pit is an endgame activity where you unlock difficulty levels in Diablo 4. Here on MeinMMO, you can find out where to find the activity, what materials you get, and how to level your glyphs.
What is The Pit? The “Pit of the Artificer” is an endgame activity that came with Season 4 of Diablo 4. It is a new dungeon that roughly works like a Greater Rift from Diablo 3:
You open a portal and enter random areas with random enemies.
You must kill enough monsters within 15 minutes to summon a boss.
If you succeed, you receive loot and can level your glyphs.
Where can I find The Pit? You open The Pit by interacting with the “Artificer’s Obelisk” in Cerrigar once you have unlocked the activity. Inside The Pit, you will find numerous monsters to kill. Then you will progress through several portals to an endboss. And it’s all done against the clock.
You will find the obelisk in Cerrigar.At the obelisk, you select the pit level.
Pit: Unlocking and Leveling
How do I unlock The Pit? By reaching Level 60, the new max level in Diablo 4, you unlock The Pit. You also need to have completed the original campaign. You will then automatically collect Artificer’s Stones from various activities, which you need to open The Pit.
How many levels does The Pit have? According to Blizzard, there are 200 difficulty levels in The Pit. The levels of the monsters scale with the level of The Pit, but are no longer displayed in the game. With increasing levels, the monsters not only have more health points but also deal more damage.
How do I unlock a new difficulty? Since Season 6, there is a new difficulty system in Diablo 4. The often criticized world tiers have been removed, and four new difficulty and four torment levels have been introduced. The endgame starts from Torment Level 1. To reach that level, you need to complete The Pit at Level 20.
After that, you unlock the levels as follows:
Pit Level 35 for Torment Level 2
Pit Level 50 for Torment Level 3
Pit Level 65 for Torment Level 4
How do I increase the level of The Pit? Successfully completing a Pit level increases the levels available to you when choosing. If you kill the boss and still have enough time, you unlock additional levels. The number of levels you have unlocked during your run will be displayed to you at the end.
Start video
Diablo 4 shows the new level system and difficulty levels in the video
Pit: Flow of the Endgame Activity
How does the activity proceed? You open The Pit at the “Artificer’s Obelisk” in Cerrigar. There you can select and open the level of The Pit, which costs you 3 Rune Shards per run. Once you go through the portal that opens, the 15-minute timer starts.
You run through the first level of the dungeon and slay monsters until you reach a portal.
Through the portal, you enter the second level, where you slay more monsters.
Once you have killed enough monsters, the portal to the “Guardian’s Hideout” opens.
The “Guardian’s Hideout” portal takes you to the Pit boss.
Once you have killed him, you have completed The Pit and receive loot.
The stone where you level your glyphs then spawns as well.
How do I farm most efficiently? Elite opponents give you the greatest progress to the portal, so focus on them. In The Pit, you will also find shrines that provide you with helpful bonuses – such as temporary invulnerability. If your player character dies in the dungeon, you will lose time on the timer as a penalty:
the first death removes 30 seconds
the second death removes 60 seconds
the third and all subsequent deaths remove 90 seconds
The best approach is to complete The Pit at a level that is challenging but does not cause your character to die constantly (or preferably not at all). Otherwise, it takes too long or even costs you the reward. If your character dies, you cannot level your glyphs. It’s better to increase the Pit level gradually.
What rewards do I get? In The Pit, you receive Obolusses, glyphs, uniques, and tributes for the Under City of Kurast. With the Obolusses, you can “gamble” at the curiosity dealer and receive random items from a specific item category. Since Season 6, this seems particularly worth it – so try to get important legendaries and uniques for your builds from the dealer.
In our overview, you can find the strongest endgame builds for all classes in Season 6:
How do I level my glyphs in The Pit? Leveling glyphs no longer takes place in Nightmare dungeons. In The Pit, you now level your glyphs based on attempts you receive by completing Pit levels.
If you complete the Pit run in time, you receive 3 attempts.
If your character does not die, you receive an additional attempt.
The chance to successfully upgrade a glyph is based on the level of the glyph and the Pit level you complete.
Additionally, the maximum level for glyphs is now 100, with glyphs of level 45 being upgradable to a legendary glyph using gem fragments. This increases the radius from 4 to 5 and gives the glyph an additional affix.
What about the materials for completion? Previously, you received the important crafting materials for completion in The Pit. You now obtain these in Nightmare dungeons, but also in Hell Hordes and the Under City of Kurast. Ingolith and Lower Iron have been removed; only Obduzit remains. Stygian stones are no longer available; you can summon the “tormented” bosses at all torment levels with the usual materials.
Especially in the endgame, various materials and items are necessary to build out builds or to use certain content. Crafting materials also play an important role. We have compiled the best farm spots for you and list where you can find ancestral items, glyphs, runes, materials, and other important items: Simple overview for Diablo 4 shows where you can farm the best for what you currently need
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO there are currently many contents waiting for the trainers. The perfect time to start playing again, says MeinMMO author Paul Kutzner.
Pokémon GO has many different aspects to offer trainers something. Whether the focus is more on collecting or battling, there is something for every trainer.
Especially currently and recently, the game offers some innovations and many contents to keep the trainers’ enthusiasm for playing alive. And I think that’s really good.
Start video
Dynamax in Pokémon Go – How to participate in the gigantic battles
New Features, new Monsters, new Shinys
What new feature is there in Pokémon GO? The current season “Max Out” focuses primarily on a new feature: the Dynamax function. This is a new mode in which trainers can battle and encourages them to collect Dyna versions of their previous monsters.
What feature is coming soon? Before the new season, a new feature was also announced that will find its way into the game this month: the form change of Morpeko.
It is possible for a Pokémon to change form within a battle against Rockets and in the battle league by using its charged attack, thus obtaining a different attack.
This ability sounds promising and could bring additional excitement, especially in battles in the battle league.
A new, big event: On November 23 and 24, 2024, there will be a large event for the first time, which will take place alongside the GO Tour and the GO Fest. This is the “Wild Area”.
Alongside some strong attackers and the return of Dialga and Palkia in their original forms, there will also be a new type of Pokémon: “Powerful Pokémon”. These are monsters that appear in their final evolution stage and additionally have a higher chance of having good IV values and may appear as XL or XXL specimens.
Since I personally enjoy the other two big annual events in Pokémon GO and, like probably many other trainers, am always on the lookout for reinforcements for my raid teams, this event could be really worthwhile.
And even without purchasing a ticket, there are some really strong contents here.
Strong Cryptos with Team GO Rocket: With the start of the “Galar Expedition: Takeover”, the Pokémon that Team GO Rocket uses have also changed. And currently, there are some really strong monsters.
This makes it not only fun to defeat the rascals from Team GO Rocket again, but it’s also worthwhile to include one or another strong Pokémon in your collection.
Many new Shinys: Collectors have also been able to really capitalize on their efforts in Pokémon GO recently. From October 4 to October 12, 2024 alone, a total of 6 new Shiny Pokémon have appeared in the game. Counting the 2 developments of Strawickl, there are even 8.
A particular highlight for many trainers is likely the debut of the 3 Galar birds as Shiny, which can now be attracted using the daily adventure incense.
Thus, there are not only strong Pokémon for the battling fraction in the game, but also passionate collectors have received new contents.
Overall, there are currently so many interesting contents in Pokémon GO that every trainer should find something for themselves. And returnees likely have the optimal timing to start playing again.
An emotionally gripping story, a really good soundtrack, and a unique graphic style: Gris offers all of this at a real bargain price on Steam.
What kind of game is this? Gris is a platform adventure on Steam developed by Nomada Studio. You accompany the young protagonist Gris on her journey through a world that looks like it was painted with watercolors and is marked by the sorrow of a painful experience.
The game was released in 2018 and has been rated “extremely positive” on Steam. Of the approximately 64,000 reviews, 96% are positive. According to a post from the developers on X, the game has sold over 3 million copies as of September 25, 2024.
Here you can see the official launch trailer for Gris:
Start video
Gris: Trailer for one of the most beautiful games on Steam
A picturesque platform adventure with a story focus
What makes the game so special? Gris is a relatively short, but memorable experience. The emotional journey lasts only about 3 hours, but is underscored by a unique watercolor aesthetic. The soundtrack also captures the mood of the game in an effective way.
A large portion of the players who have left a review for the game on Steam seem to be thrilled. Here are just a few examples that reflect the general tone:
Dmitry Komarov on Steam: “Gris is a visually stunning, introspective journey through grief, depicted with delicate watercolors and subtle animations. The game gently leads players through abstract landscapes that reflect the protagonist’s inner turmoil, combining minimalist design with an immersive soundtrack.”
TigerLily on Steam: “Gris is a visually stunning and emotionally captivating game that uses exquisite watercolor art and ambient sounds to create a unique experience.”
Gameplay-wise, Gris is a classic platform adventure. You move through 2D levels and solve puzzles along the way to progress. The protagonist’s dress also comes into play, granting you new abilities over time.
Anyone primarily looking for gameplay challenges will likely not be happy with Gris. The protagonist cannot die, and the difficulty level of the platforming sequences is also limited. The story clearly takes center stage in Gris. Especially for fans of melancholic stories, the game could be a good choice.
How much does the game cost? On Steam, Gris is currently available for just €1.47. This represents a 90% discount. However, this promotion is only valid until October 15, 2024.
If you have a penchant for beautifully drawn platformers, you should definitely keep an eye on The Eternal Life of Goldman. The game features settings and animations that are entirely hand-drawn. You can read more about it here: New game on Steam looks like a playable film from Studio Ghibli, but darker
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Season 6 of Diablo 4, you can secure a secret player title if you are particularly diligent. What you need to do for that, you will find out here on MeinMMO.
In Diablo 4, you have the opportunity to secure player titles through various activities, for example, by completing certain quests. You equip these titles through your profile in the game and can then proudly showcase them in Sanctuary.
As in Season 5, you can secure a secret player title again in Season 6. However, you must complete the entire season journey – every single task. This will definitely keep you busy for a while.
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Diablo 4: Der Gameplay-Trailer zur 6. Season, der Saison des aufsteigenden Hasses
How do I secure the secret title? To receive all stage rewards in the season journey, it is usually sufficient to complete a specified number of objectives in each stage. This means: You don’t have to complete all tasks – at least not for that.
However, if you still complete every single objective that exists in the season journey, you will obtain the secret player title, which you can then equip. To do this, you need to complete 100% in all seven stages.
The following title will be awarded to you:
In German, the title is “Zakarumverbundene (prefix), Hoffnung (suffix)”
In English, the title is “Zakarum’s (prefix), Hope (suffix)”
Apart from that, you will receive special rewards at each of the seven stages, such as favor for the Battle Pass, hellish horde compasses, boss mats, legendary and unique ancestral items, opals, crafting mats, emblems, mount trophies, and a “Magnificent Spark.” With the spark, you can craft Mythic Uniques.
What were the titles from previous seasons? The titles you received for completing the season journey were:
Which tasks take the longest? In this season, it seems at first glance easier to obtain the secret title. In previous seasons, the biggest challenge for many players was mainly having to defeat the “tormented” bosses. The bosses were level 200 and were quite tough.
With the removal of world tiers and the change in difficulty levels, the “tormented” bosses now exist at all torment levels. This means: You can approach them as early as Torment Level 1 for the objectives in the season journey.
In Season 5, players had to defeat a total of 20 commanders of the Hell Flood. For some, that was “probably one of the worst seasonal tasks.” In Season 6, you only need to kill 5 of the commanders that randomly spawn in certain events in the Hell Flood.
The tasks that may now take the longest are related to upgrading, dismantling, and equipping ancestral items. These are also the objectives that are still open for us in the season journey.
Level 6 in the season journey revolves around the rare ancestral items in Diablo 4.
Ancestral items are the only items in Season 6 that have an item power of 800. Additionally, they always have at least one greater affix. The items drop less frequently, and holy items are no longer available.
In a limited-time event, you can currently obtain items from Wrath of the Lich King in World of Warcraft. The special thing about them: They correspond to the item level from The War Within and are therefore even stronger than much of what you can usually obtain.
What kind of item is it?
The Wrathstone is a trinket from Ulduar.
The item passively increases your critical strike rating and can be activated to significantly increase your strength or agility for 20 seconds (2-minute cooldown).
For many classes, this item is either “Best in Slot” or at least very close – but significantly easier to obtain than the competition.
Where do I get the Wrathstone? You can loot the Wrathstone from the loot chest after defeating Kologarn in Ulduar. Currently, the weekly event “Timewalking: Wrath of the Lich King” is active, until and including Tuesday, October 15.
In the raid, you have a chance to get the item at item level 597 (1/6 in the Champion track). However, you should definitely accept the quest in old Dalaran where you need to kill Yogg-Saron beforehand.
As a reward, you will receive a chest containing loot at level 610 (1/6 in the Hero track) – and the Wrathstone is supposed to be among them, but it is rarer there than with Kologarn. Additionally, you have a chance in the chest for some of the rarest mounts in the game.
If fully upgraded, the item would be at level 626. The Wrathstone will be replaced for many classes only by trinkets from the mythic raid and is quite strong for:
WotLK Classic: The new trailer for the cult raid Ulduar
Timewalking is time-limited, often providing really strong items
In addition to the Wrathstone, you can also obtain the Living Flame in Ulduar. This is the spellcaster’s counterpart and increases critical strike rating as well as intelligence. Unlike the Wrathstone, the Living Flame has a strong alternative in the Palace of the Nerub’ar: the Master Spy’s Net.
Items from old raids have consistently ranked among the best items in the game for many months. However, since timewalking events are always short and rarely repeat, many players are not very happy about this situation.
Because those who are unlucky and do not get a corresponding item often have to wait for months and cannot compete with other players of their class during this time. The next WotLK timewalking will take place on February 12, 2025. For this, you now at least have the opportunity in WoW to more easily obtain the new best loot: WoW changes rewards in Mythic+, making dungeons easier.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Diablo 4 has received a new class for the first time with Vessel of Hatred, the Spiritborn. What many have already predicted has now come to pass: Spiritborn are the strongest class in the game, and several players are calling for nerfs. One user is pushing back and strikes a chord with the community.
This is the discussion: The Evade build is obviously incredibly strong and, from the perspective of many players and even experts, perhaps too strong. They expect a nerf, some are even demanding it because it simply does not align with other builds – not even close.
On Reddit, however, one user warns: If you call for nerfs, they will come. Blizzard is listening. And that is true, Blizzard often uses feedback to improve Diablo 4 – just recently, by adding more Forgotten Souls to the game. The user states:
Instead, call for buffs when your class is lagging behind so that it can be brought up to the same level as the Spiritborn. This way, players who have already invested 12 hours or more to gear their Spiritborn […] will not feel like their time has been wasted. And you can enjoy buffs for the builds you have already created.
The argument sounds convincing, and the post has quickly received over 1,700 upvotes – but has also sparked a discussion with nearly 900 comments. For many users are warning against such an attitude.
This is what the Spiritborn looks like in action:
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Diablo 4: This is what a Jaguar-Eagle build from the Spirit Born in Vessel of Hatred looks like
Leads to crazy levels of power creep
The top comment already harshly criticizes this opinion and receives large support. The user Correct_Sometimes thinks it is a dumb idea and writes, “What you’re describing leads to crazy levels of power creep.”
Power creep describes the condition where characters continually become stronger, which can quickly lead to absurd numbers through a spiral. And during testing, barbarians could literally deal infinite damage. Nerfs are the right approach:
You don’t buff everything in the game to bring it up to par with something that is obviously too strong. You bring that one obviously too strong thing down to where the game should be.
Hundreds of users agree and state that it also makes more sense from a developer’s perspective. It is easier to achieve equality by adjusting one thing downwards rather than dozens upwards. People are just too sensitive when it comes to nerfs.
The problem, however, is that Blizzard often goes overboard. Buffs and nerfs are often too strong, rendering the respective thing completely useless or completely overpowered. Many agree that outliers above should be nerfed.
Soulbrand is one of the Uniques in Diablo 4 that can be worn by every class. You can find out how to farm the chest piece best and what it can do on MeinMMO.
What kind of item is this? Soulbrand is a chest piece that can be worn by all classes. The unique effect is that your healing potions will no longer heal you immediately, but create a barrier worth 200% of the actual healing for 4 seconds.
Additionally, you receive a bonus to your damage reduction as long as the barrier exists. Healing potions can be consumed at full health.
On top of that, the chest piece grants you bonuses to the following stats:
maximum health
potion capacity
barrier generation
damage reduction while healthy
The unique “Soulbrand” for all classes in Diablo 4.
Do I even need this? The unique can be a good addition if you play builds where skills and legendary aspects interact with barriers – like the “Pompous Aspect.” This grants you a bonus to your damage as long as you have an active barrier.
This can be useful if you either have no abilities or do not want to use ones that would provide you with barriers otherwise. However, the usage here is more suited for off-meta builds.
On Reddit, MuchToDoAboutNothin notes in the comments that Soulbrand has a few “insanely good defensive” bonuses. Additionally, the unique effect ensures that incoming poison damage matters less. Especially the poison damage from spiders and other enemies affects many players – despite high resistances. And injeanyes writes that it is suitable for the “Frozen Orb” build of the wizard.
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Diablo 4: Immediately activate these 2 settings, otherwise you will miss important equipment values
Farming Soulbrand efficiently
Where can I find Soulbrand? To farm Uniques like the Soulbrand chest piece, there are different ways:
The endgame activity “The Pit” rewards you not only with plenty of oboluses at the end but also with various items. Uniques drop there as well.
From the Torment level 1 onwards, you can farm the bosses for various Uniques. Your best chance to get the Soulbrand chest piece is with Duriel and Andariel.
You can summon all bosses starting from Torment level 1 to farm specific Uniques. To experience a greater challenge, you can unlock higher Torment levels in the Pit. The number of materials you need for the bosses does not change in this case. You can see which bosses are in Diablo 4, where to find them, and which Uniques they drop in our overview: Diablo 4 Boss Loot Table: List of all bosses and their drops in Season 6
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Throne and Liberty, it is largely about who ultimately ascends the throne in the Castle of Stonewatch. However, those who just want to do their own thing are often pushed out by large guilds.
What do guilds want in Throne and Liberty? As the name of the MMORPG suggests, the top guilds on their servers are in competition for the throne of the Castle of Stonewatch. The efforts of the guilds and their allies culminate in the large siege battle every two weeks.
Why large guilds are so important, you can learn here in the video:
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Throne and Liberty: Deshalb ist eine große und aktive Gilde so wichtig
Guilds have major advantages
What advantages do guilds have? Players who experience the game in one of the large guilds of the MMORPG have several advantages. For example, they can defeat guild bosses and do so up to 7 times. Those who are not in a guild miss out on the chance for 7 times extra loot.
However, guilds also have an advantage with the PvE bosses that appear every few hours in the game. Instead of relying on the loot chance of a member, guilds often pool the loot and then distribute it among those who need it. This way, everyone can more easily acquire the right equipment.
With PvP bosses, it is even more extreme. If one is not in one of the top guilds, there is no point in entering the boss arena at all. Otherwise, this results in a gray screen and a visit to the next priest, and that already after a few seconds.
The PvP bosses then give guild players even more loot. Even if an item drops for a player, the guilds prevent that the item can be looted. After 30 seconds, anyone can pick it up. Solo players thus have hardly any chance.
Is this intentional? Yes, because the content in Throne and Liberty heavily revolves around the rival guilds that are competing for the throne in the endgame. The game offers hardly any systems designed for solo play.
The fun for players who do not want to join the guilds is thus partly lost. FaithlessnessFull254 writes about it on Reddit:
“Whose idea was it to make the massive public group bosses into a PvP zone, so that there is constant chaos and everyone gets griefed. I just want to do the bosses. This is an absolutely terrible idea, get rid of the PvP zones.”
Even while grinding in open-world dungeons, players are repeatedly ambushed by guilds as soon as PvP starts there. However, solo players also have a type of activity where they can show the guilds how good they are.
What kind of activity is that? Approximately every three hours, various events take place in peace mode in the MMORPG. These usually involve defeating as many monsters as possible in a short time and handing in the collected loot within the time limit.
The better you place, the more rewards and activity points you receive. For guilds, the activity points are particularly important. The points determine the ranking position and subsequently the initial control over the throne.
A player proudly shows the community that he owns an original server from World of Warcraft (WoW). Players want to know how he got it.
A player proudly shares on Reddit a photo of an original server from WoW. And not of the game, but of the hardware on which the game itself is usually hosted – a server blade. This is the role-playing server “Argent Dawn”. However, we cannot say whether it is the European or US server.
Meanwhile, the post has received over 15,000 upvotes and many people from the community want to know how to get such a server.
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A Heartbreaking Story from the WoW Community is Coming to Netflix Soon
Old WoW servers are regularly auctioned for good causes
How does one get an old server? Blizzard regularly auctions off retired hardware and other items from its inventory for charity. During these events, old servers are also put up for auction:
In October 2011, Blizzard reported that they raised $330,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital from the sale of retired server blades. That’s roughly 300,000 euros.
For WoW’s 15th anniversary, Blizzard also auctioned off old server blades at Blizzcon 2019.
What kind of servers are these? Technically, blades are the smallest servers that require minimal physical space. Several blades are inserted into a rack, which is the frame for servers. You can imagine it like drawers.
The small size of the blades has a disadvantage as well: upgrading them is usually difficult, which is why server blades are eventually retired.
WoW still relies on individual servers where players are active, while other games, like Elder Scrolls Online, only use a giant mega-server where all players log in. However, this overlooks the fact that a mega-server is not a single server, but several connected servers.
Here, too, there are several servers working together. Recently, a significant limitation in WoW has been lifted, as you can now trade across the entire server. You can read more about it directly on MeinMMO: WoW has virtually erased the server separation – Free trade for all
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warhammer 40,000 is primarily known for one thing: the Space Marines, big guys in thick armor and with heavy weapons. However, the world and especially the Imperium has much more to offer, such as the female counterpart to the Space Marines. MeinMMO introduces you to the Adepta Sororitas.
As you may know, there are no women among the Space Marines. However, that does not mean that the Imperium consists solely of fighting men. In fact, women hold important roles in many positions within the army and in war.
There is, however, an all-female order that should be familiar to any Warhammer fan: the Adepta Sororitas. The Sororitas are women known for their fanatical faith in the Emperor of Mankind.
These nuns are raised from a young age to serve the Emperor unconditionally. They do not shy away from danger, are unshakable, and would rather choose martyrdom than bow to an enemy.
When the Sororitas attack, they usually arrive in invasion cathedrals – yes, they have mobile, armored places of worship with macro flamers and holy water cannons. The soldiers themselves fight with meltas, chainswords, and hand flamers (“inferno pistols”) to cleanse a world relentlessly. It is said that once the Sisters of Battle land, an enemy of the Imperium has little chance of surviving.
In the action RPG Inquisitor – Martyr, you can play as a Sororitas:
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Warhammer 40,000 Inquisitor – Martyr: The Gameplay Trailer for the Sororitas Class
An order of warriors, created through a ruse
A brief excursion into the history of the Adepta Sororitas. The origin of the order is a small sect called the “Daughters of the Emperor,” who were hired as a bodyguard by a governor.
Goge Vandire, then the head of the Ecclesiarchy, basically the Pope, visited the world where the “Daughters of the Emperor” lived. He essentially discovered and deceived them by making them believe that the Emperor had saved him from a fatal shot. In truth, it was a shield that saved him.
The Daughters became the Brides of the Emperor and the bodyguard of the Ecclesiarch. Vandire later was accused of heresy and was executed by the leader of the Brides herself after she had been allowed to see the Emperor on his golden throne. His last words were reportedly: “I have no time to die, I am too busy.”
Vandire’s successor, Sebastian Thor, then decreed that the Church could have no “men in arms,” as they would become too powerful with such great influence and additional military strength. However, the Sororitas are not men – and so they were allowed to stay.
Weapons and armor like Space Marines, but still human
What defines the Adepta Sororitas is their armory. As the only military force besides the Space Marines, the Sororitas extensively use power armor that is nearly equal to that of the Space Marines. They utilize the same fusion core, but are significantly lighter.
However, since the Sororitas are human and not genetically enhanced super soldiers, they cannot “bond” with the armor in the way Space Marines do. Therefore, faith plays a significant role among the Sisters.
Simply put: The stronger the faith in the Emperor, the better a Sororita can utilize her equipment. With the Paragon power suits, which only the most devout Sororitas can wear, the Sisters have something comparable to the Terminator armor of the Space Marines.
Sororitas have various orders with their own heraldry, just like Space Marines. Here: Sister Argenta of the Order of the Holy Martyr.
According to the official rulebook, the Sororitas even manage to deflect enemy bullets through pure faith and reliably hit weak points. However, it is hard to say how much of this is true and how much is myth.
What is clear is that the Adepta Sororitas are so fanatical that they punish any misstep severely. If a Sister imagines even a single sin, she may do penance in an extremely brutal way:
Sisters Repentia throw themselves into battle unarmored with a two-handed chainsword to die as martyrs.
Sisters Oblatia even do penance for sins committed not by them, but by blood relatives.
In Penitent Engines, sinners are tied naked to a war machine and connected to it, facing enemies protected only by the grace of the Emperor.
Martyr engines are mechanical walkers with an Iron Maiden, in which a deserter is “screwed” in. The machine is driven by her shame and pain.
The order of the nuns is structured similarly to the orders of the Space Marines, with individual units, leaders, and different doctrines. However, unlike the Space Marines, there are numerous non-fighting orders among the Sororitas, such as:
Ordo Hospitalis: Nurses, doctors, and surgeons
Ordo Dialogus: Linguists and translators for heretical texts and Xenos languages
Ordo Famulus: Advisors and diplomats who assist various noble houses of the Imperium
Ordo Pronatus: Curators and guardians of important artifacts and relics
Although the Adepta Sororitas are considered absolutely pure and uncorruptible by Chaos, there are cases where this has happened. At least one Sister, Miriael Sabathiel, was corrupted by Chaos and has also led other Sororitas to corruption.
In other cases, some Sisters have allied with the cults of the Tyranids, the “Genestealers,” to destroy their own order – or they were involuntarily infected.
Such cases are usually eradicated by the Sororitas as swiftly and thoroughly as possible so that no one ever learns of them. It has even been reported that a soldier underwent surgical procedures to take on the appearance of a Sister who had fallen to Chaos and thereby replace her from the outside.
Rod Shields is a multimillionaire today. However, his journey began with the purchase of a license plate. Shields explains in an interview that the license plate was the beginning of his great success.
What kind of license plate was it? Rod Shields discovered in the late 1980s that the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), responsible for managing vehicle registration plates in the UK, offered the option to personalize license plates beyond the standard numbering.
Shields inquired about the official options, eventually registered, and purchased a personalized license plate with the inscription “4VBF” for 120 British pounds. In today’s terms, that is about 143 euros. Shortly thereafter, he was able to resell the license plate for 3,000 British pounds (approximately 3,500 euros today).
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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
He used the license plate to pay for the purchase of a property
Why was this so important? He told the British newspaper The Mirror that the money from the sale gave him the chance to put a down payment on a three-bedroom house. And that is how he began to build the business that made him a millionaire: real estate development.
Real estate development involves purchasing land and properties, developing or renovating them, and then selling them for profit.
Today, Shields is a successful real estate developer and he states that part of his success is attributed to the business of buying and selling personalized license plates. In a conversation with the online magazine Daily Record, he shares:
I now have a real estate portfolio worth several million dollars, and I achieved this solely through that license plate. I attribute the creation of my wealth entirely to the purchase of that plate. It gave me the [financial] boost I needed to do it.
What happened to the license plates? By the way, he continues to run the personalized license plate business as a side hustle alongside real estate under the company UBR Plates. One of his most profitable license plates to date was “BE57APP,” for which he is said to have received over 3,000 pounds. However, he does not specify an exact figure.
A Scotsman takes a different path to becoming a millionaire: he enthuses about a South American country and becomes rich from it. What nobody knows: the country does not exist on any map. But eventually, the scam is exposed, and he ends up in prison in both France and England: A Scotsman becomes a millionaire by selling a fictional country twice
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A player installs Pokémon GO. Shortly thereafter, she finds one of the rarest Pokémon in the game. She proudly reports her find and thinks that her boyfriend, a hardcore Pokémon fan, might not be too pleased.
What does the player catch? A player reports on reddit that she started playing Pokémon GO for the first time. Her boyfriend convinced her, and she eventually installed the app.
Shortly afterward, the surprise comes. She shows with a screenshot that she has walked a total of 282 meters. And in that short distance, she caught a Moltres. She explains, “my boyfriend must be pretty mad at me right now.”
A user teases in the comments: It must be intentional that a new player catches a rare shiny right at the beginning, as it would encourage her to keep playing diligently. He writes:
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is planned intentionally.
Give new players greater chances for shinies and hundos to get them excited and keep playing. The longer they play, the lower those chances become, but they know those are possible because of the early days, so they keep playing.
Moltres in shiny variant is extremely rare
What is so special about Moltres? Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are Pokémon that appear extremely rarely in the game. If you do find them, you need great luck to catch them as they usually flee very quickly. Players regularly report that they see one of the rare birds but never manage to catch it: If you don’t catch the birds on the first try, they have a 90% chance of fleeing. Therefore, many players consider throwing the rare Master Ball.
But the player didn’t just manage to catch a Moltres; she also caught the shiny variant. And that makes the catch even rarer. With that, she has caught one of the rarest Pokémon currently available in the game.
Actually, Throne and Liberty had a strong launch on Steam as well as on consoles. However, compared to the previous MMORPG launches from Amazon Games, it doesn’t look that rosy anymore. How do the stark differences in player numbers explain themselves?Our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz analyzes the launches of Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty (and also New World).
How did Throne and Liberty launch on Steam and consoles? Thanks to official numbers, it is known that Amazon Games and NCSoft welcomed more than three million registered players in Solisium at the western launch of Throne and Liberty.
It is also clear, thanks to websites like steamdb.info: The all-time high (from the first launch weekend) stands at 336,300 concurrent active Steam users. In the following days, the new MMORPG could regularly count more than 250,000 players for itself. On Steam. Additionally, there are T&L fans playing on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series.
How have Amazon Games’ previous MMORPGs performed? The comparison between Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark is almost unavoidable. Both MMORPGs rely on a free-to-play model, come from Asian developers, use Amazon Games as a western publisher, and had been live in other countries for some time before the western release.
The launch trailer of Throne and Liberty:
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Throne and Liberty: Claim the Throne – Launch Trailer of the MMORPG
However, Lost Ark was able to generate a significantly larger hype in February 2022 and attract 1,325,305 Steam users simultaneously at launch. This still ranks in fifth place on the all-time Steam list. In this case, there are no console players, as Lost Ark was only released via Steam.
After two weeks, the MMORPG from Smilegate reportedly had over 10 million western players, worldwide it was 20 million. Throne and Liberty is still a good way from that (while it is currently unclear how many players have played the Korean version of T&L so far).
Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He has been dealing with the best genre in the world almost daily for 15 years and, of course, was also present at the launches of Lost Ark, New World, and Throne and Liberty.
The Reasons for the Different Success
As many similarities as Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark may have, the initial conditions of the respective launches are quite different. Here are the conditions for Lost Ark:
For Lost Ark, there was already a nearly 20-minute long gameplay trailer in 2014, eight years before the western launch, which overshadowed everything that had been released in isometric perspective so far – including the Diablo trilogy.
The hype that was ignited at that time was kept ablaze over the years with ever new, comprehensive, and spectacularly staged gameplay trailers.
When Lost Ark was released in South Korea and Russia in 2019, various hyped English and German-speaking streamers were on board, who showcased the MMORPG early and extensively on their channels.
Amazon Games naturally used the synergy with Twitch to further fuel the hype for Lost Ark.
The enthusiasm of the streamers transferred to many of their viewers. On the launch day in the West, Lost Ark had 1.2 million simultaneous viewers on Twitch. By March 25, there were over 290,000 streams and more than 158 million watched hours on Twitch.
In my opinion, Lost Ark benefited from three factors:
Due to the isometric perspective and combat experience, the MMORPG strongly resembled hack-and-slash titles like Diablo. Fans of such action RPGs had been waiting for about ten years for a game that could replace Diablo 3 and shorten the wait for Diablo 4.
At the same time, Lost Ark appealed to many MMORPG fans through its genre, who were also looking back on a long drought (there was new World a year earlier, but Amazon Games’ first online RPG disappointed many players).
When Lost Ark was released in February 2022, the world was still partly in the Corona pandemic – the international health emergency was lifted by the WHO in May 2023. Especially online games benefited from high or rising player numbers during the COVID years.
This trailer shows what awaits you in Lost Ark:
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New video about Lost Ark shows what makes the free MMORPG special
What were the initial conditions for Throne and Liberty? The new MMORPG from NCSoft was also in development for many years but did not make a name for itself with great gameplay trailers, but rather with reports about its problematic development.
Due to this situation, the anticipation for Throne and Liberty could never compete with the hype surrounding Lost Ark. However, there were other factors as well:
Following the Corona pandemic, the gaming industry experienced a hangover mood, with many releases from 2023 being able to attract significantly fewer players or buyers than hoped.
While Lost Ark had the potential to appeal to fans of two genres, Throne and Liberty, with its focus on large-group content, guilds, and PvP, targets a comparatively small hardcore audience.
Additionally, there were concerns about monetization combined with the strong focus on PvP and competitive guild content, which was not present in Lost Ark in that form (although monetization can certainly be criticized there as well).
Although later added content like cooperative dungeons or the solo tower has somewhat broadened the focus of Throne and Liberty, the game still does not aim to appeal to everyone or target the largest possible player base.
However: Throne and Liberty is not just an expansion for an existing MMORPG, but a fresh gaming experience. And unlike the previous MMORPGs released by Amazon Games, Throne and Liberty is available not only on Steam but also on consoles.
The Launch of New World
What about New World? The only MMORPG developed so far by Amazon Games greatly benefited at launch in September 2021 from the fact that there had been no online role-playing game developed by a large, western studio since 2014 (Wildstar and The Elder Scrolls Online).
There was also no Lost Ark yet. At that time, we were deeper into the Corona pandemic in 2021, and through various streamers and the Twitch synergies, Amazon Games managed to build a noticeable hype ahead of the release.
The trailer for New World Aeternum:
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Trailer for New World Aeternum announces console version
At launch, 913,634 Steam users were simultaneously on the servers. A real number for a game that you have to buy. How many versions of the game have been sold to date remains unclear. In 2022, the unofficial number of nearly 17 million buyers circulated online (via forbes.com).
Nowadays, however, there are fewer than 10,000 players on Aeternum at the same time. The numbers have fallen even more drastically after the strong launch than in Lost Ark. Whether the new Aeternum version from October 15, 2024 can provide a long-lasting third spring remains to be seen.
A Strong Launch Considering the Initial Conditions
When all these factors are taken into account, there can only be one conclusion in my view: Throne and Liberty has made a strong launch – given the (partly self-inflicted) initial conditions by NCSoft.
After the enormously difficult development, the constant Pay2Progress discussions, and the launch with a combat system that utilized automated mobile systems and also felt bad otherwise, it is quite a wonder that the western launch version of Throne and Liberty can ultimately attract so many players.
Especially in a year full of other large MMORPG releases and without – as silly as it sounds – a supportive pandemic that kept many people at home playing more. That the numbers are comparatively high despite all these factors is likely due to two points I have already mentioned:
Throne and Liberty is a new MMORPG with a fresh gaming experience
The game is also available on consoles, where the competition is not as fierce
Additionally, NCSoft and Amazon Games have made a tremendous effort to implement significant parts of player feedback, such as noticeably improving the combat system and alleviating monetization.
How quickly player numbers will fall in the coming weeks and months will be interesting to observe. In a few days, the next online role-playing game, New World Aeternum, will be released, which is likely to attract some genre enthusiasts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The adaptations of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson are legendary, but there are still some other movies from Middle-earth that we will pit against each other in the ranking.
How was this list created? Below, we rank all 9 films that deal with J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. This includes adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Series like The Rings of Power are not included, as this list is focused solely on the films.
The ranking is based on the author’s personal opinion and is purely subjective. If you disagree with the rankings, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. But now let’s dive into the adventure – off to Middle-earth.
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9. The Return of the King (1980)
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A scene from ‘The Return of the King’ from 1980
The start and thus the last place is filled by this animated film by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. And it is indeed a curious film. For it roughly tells the third part of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy – but without any predecessor films. While there are, as we will see further up in the ranking, animated films that tell parts 1 and 2, The Return of the King has nothing to do with them.
This film has a unique style that hardly convinces and feels quite overloaded overall. It has to condense a lot of content and only entertains moderately.
8. The Battle of the Five Armies (2015)
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The final film of the Hobbit trilogy in the trailer: ‘Battle of the Five Armies’
The conclusion of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy shows more than its predecessors how much the series lacks content. Stretching Tolkien’s comparatively thin book into three films, each lasting over two hours, simply did not work.
This final part suffers from far too long battles, partly absurd CGI moments (Legolas, ahem) and you can tell that Jackson ran out of narrative material for the film. The titular battle eventually just becomes tedious. Therefore, anyone wanting to see the story in a much shorter version should give place 7 a chance.
7. The Hobbit (1977)
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Gandalf’s first appearance in a scene from “The Hobbit” (1977)
This film comes from the same directors who three years later directed The Return of the King. Accordingly, both films are similar in their animated style. However, The Hobbit manages much better to establish the world and the characters in a short time.
The film was aimed at children, just like the source material, even though there are some eerie moments. Without lengthy droughts, this piece tells its story in just 77 minutes. Bilbo’s journey is accompanied by a singer-songwriter soundtrack that comments on the events and reminds one of hippie times. It sounds quirky but somehow works.
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
